


A S.H.I.E.L.D Of My Own

by noga1290



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Science Bros, Time Travel, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-25
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-08-11 00:58:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7869064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noga1290/pseuds/noga1290
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ever wondered what if Tony met Rhodey in a slightly different way and invented time traveling with no past changing?</p><p>Well, Tony never did, and he still got stuck in this shit, so you should too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. How Tony Stark Met The best Man In The World (Without Looking In The Mirror)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> I hope you'll like it, leave what you think in the comments. Anyway, this Fanfic is a little bit different then usual- every part has a song delicated to it. So, the song of 1a is "I'm not okay" (by MCR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRFhNZNu_xw.  
> The song of 1b is "Don't Stop Me Now" (by Queen) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgzGwKwLmgM.
> 
> have fun!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> I hope you'll like it, leave what you think in the comments. Anyway, this Fanfic is a little bit different then usual- every part has a song delicated to it. So, the song of 1a is "I'm not okay" (by MCR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRFhNZNu_xw.  
> The song of 1b is "Don't Stop Me Now" (by Queen) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgzGwKwLmgM.
> 
> have fun!!
> 
> P.S. credit goes to the artist

1a

"Hello?"

She could hear a man and a woman muttering from the other side of the line. After a minute, they've finally talked to her.  
"Can we get Tony?" a woman voice.  
"Just a minute." she muttered back and turned to him. "Tony, it's for you." he looked... Well, no one can say that he looked confused because it was THE Tony Stark, but she could tell that his smile faded for a second. "Give me the phone." he answered and took the phone.

"Who was she?!" if Tony would've known that all he needs to make Howard angry was some chick answering the phone, he would defintely do it earlier.  
"None of your bussines." he answered shortly.  
"Of course it is! Tell me, now!"  
"Well, old man, she was my seventh, if you insist." Tony could hear him screaming curses while mom tries to calm him down. "-I DON'T WANT HIM,I DON'T CARE WHICH FUCKING EMOTION MANIPULATION HE HAD DONE TO-"  
Dead line.  
A few minutes after, the phone ringed again. "Tony?" His mother asked calmly, and he smiled.  
"Oh, hey mom."  
"Listen, Tony, MIT called and they've said that your behave was... Well, absoloutly terrible, in their words."  
"...And? I got only A+. Except that A in physics." Mr Krefin was probably the dumbest person on the planet if he thought that Tony didn't deserve A+.

"Bambino." she said quietly, and Tony's eyes widened. She hadn't call him that for a long time. Probably since he was eight. "They say that... Well..." she sobbed. "If you won't do something for the community, they'll kick you out." He sighted, and thought a little bit, making a list of pros and cons in his head.

Pros about leaving:  
1\. he didn't give a fuck about MIT.  
2\. He was a Stark, for gods sake! They should beg him to stay, not threaten to kick him! He will succeed with them or without.  
3\. It will make Howard mad. Twice in a day, a new record!

Cons about leaving:  
1\. Mom. He almost saw the tear sliding from her eye when she'll hear that he left MIT. She needs to be happy. No. she DESERVES to be happy.

"Fine." he mutterd back into the phone, his smile fading back on his face as he listened to her cracked, proud, happy voice, talking about how great he is and how much she loved him.

After a while of talking, Tony said goodbye and hang up. The chick talked, reminding Tony that she still was there. "Who was it?" he didn't answer and looked at the door. He needs to kick this girl out- he needed to talk to John, his room partner, and she getting sticky and emotional anyway. "Do you hear that? I think it's somebody crying." She looked at him, confused. "Actually, I don't hear any-" "John! Are you okay?!" He asked. John Erikson knew his friend long enough to know what that means.

"My grandma died!" He shouted back in boredom. "Kick your girl out, I want to be alone!" with the help of his usual stylish apologizing, after two minutes Tony managed to kick Anna (or was it Clara?), his one-night stand, out.

"I expect better acting next time." Tony announced as he walked into John's room. "Yeah, sure." John smiled and looked at him. He noticed Tony's face look and his face in return became worried. "What's wrong?" Tony sighed and looked on the floor in shame.

"Remember when you told me to behave better or they'll kick me and I told you that's never going to happen? So I need to do a community project or they'll kick me out." he talked fast, as if he didn't want John to understand what it means. Maybe John was not as quick as Tony, but he didn't miss anything. John looked at him and grinned. "Let me guess, I was right? Shocking. I was right and Tony Stark was wrong. I shall dance now my victory dance." He stood up and Tony threw at him a glare that will make most of the people run away. And so, John ran.

He typed a few words. "Alright then, big boy. Show me what you got." Tony told to the computer, which in its very rude attitude didn't answer. He pushed the search button and the resoults started popping on the screen. Tony looked closer at the screen and started clicking links.

 

1b

"Tell me the details again." Tony ordered doctor Smith while they were walking in the hospitals corridors.

"I'm not your secretery." Doctor Smith answered, but talked anyway. "His name is James Rhodes, but everyone just call him 'Rhodey'. He was at a secret mission and the bad guys captured him. Long story short, he can't move at all, and that is where you join the picture, Mr. Stark. Your job is to make him move again." they kept walking in silence. "I'll try my best." he promised quietly.

Two body guards stood outside the room. The doctor nodded at them and they let the three of them pass. Tony didn't answered, but he thought that he got himself into a big, shitty mess. And he didn't like it.

Inside the so-white-it-hurts room, there was one man. Tony looked at him closely as his chest slowly went up and down. He was black, tall, and wuth a big smile on his face. He was covered many injuries and scars, infusions filling any free place around him. Tony felt a zap going through him as their eyes met and cringed. Those warm eyes made him feel like they saw his soul, and he regreted about that time he stole cookies from John in the fifth grade really bad.

Doctor Smith took a step forward and explained the situation shortly. He was surprised that he actually felt relief when Rhodey's eyes went off his. Smith elbowed him and Tony realised that he needed to say something. "Hey. I'm Tony Stark and I'll... Make you be... Unparalyzed. Yeah." he fucked up so bad, but the other guy didn't seem to care. "Good." he answered shortly. "Now, what's the plan?" Tony blinked in confusion. "Yeah. Plan. Good plan. I'll just go bring it. With Smith." He dragged Smith out of the room and he didn't show up for four days. But when he did, he had a plan. And a good one.

...

'The plan was simple', said Tony Stark. 'You'll be able to move again', Tony Stark added. And then he told Rhodey that he is going to have a metal robotic skelaton inside of him.

Rhodey nodded at all his explenations. "And what if I break something? I don't want any big pieces of metal traveling in my blood. And anyway, from where all of the energy is going to come? I can't produce this much of energy in my body." He could say that Tony was surprised that Rhodey listened AND understood the consept.

"Oh, well, about the energy- radioactive." Rhodey started to protest. Tony didn't seem to care, and even if he did, he didn't say anything. "I know, you think it's going to be dangerous. And you know what? You're right. But I have something special- a father that I'm willing to steal from. And I'm ready to give you the best radioactive shield you've ever saw." Tony said honestly, and Rhodey laughed. "I like you, kiddo. When will it be ready?" Tony smiled at him. "Now is a good time?"

...

For a first time surgery, Rhodey had to admit that Tony has done a very good work. He looked down on hinself- he felt much better, but there weren't any stitches. "How did you insert the skelaton?" he asked, confused, and Tony smirked, like he was waiting all day for someone to ask that. Actually, he probably did. The surgery was a day and four hours long.

"With magnets, of course." Tony said slowly. "I inserted mini-magnets under your skin, and injected your muscles a metal powder. With the help of many calculations and nano bots, I've managed to cover each muscle in your body with metal that responds when his brain sends them signals." he looked very tired, and Rhodey guessed that it was his second or third white night in a row. But he smiled, though. The two of them weren't seem separated since that day.


	2. I (Didn't) Miss My Backup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Can't believe I have 100 hits, it's much more then I've expected :)
> 
> The song for this chapter is Dangerous (by David Gueta) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsfrsLxt0l8
> 
> Enjoy!!

2 (Timeline: After Age Of Ultron)

For everyone in the Avengers Tower, it was just another day. When Tony entered the dining room, he saw Bruce and Steve trying to teach Thor how to cook. "You shall open to the worthy!" Thor ordered the poor oven with anger that made some acient part in Tony's head almost run away. Bruce groaned and opened the oven. Tony smirked, wondering where Natasha and Clint are. The mystery sloved itself when a grumpy Natasha dragged a protesting Clint into the room.

"Morning." She muttered and Steve gave her a cup of coffee. "Morning." he said and smiled at her. She nodded at him with gratitude and set down. "Morning." hummed Tony and set down exactly when there was a knocking on the door. Pepper. She wanted to show him some plans about the company's future, but he didn't really care; he will have a pretty nice morning and afternoon that will hopefuly go on into the night.

Tony stood up quickly and went to the door. "Pepper!" he called warmly and hugged her. "Save me from grumpy Natasha. She gives me cringes." he whispered into her ear. Pepper laughed. "I will." she promised and went inside the kitchen, exactly in time to take one of the pancakes from Steve's plate, who didn't seem to care. And then, Tony's phone bipped. Tony looked at it. "I need to go." he said, slightly surprised. "Rhodey." "-but Tony, wait! We were planning to-" "not important now, gotta go!" he called behind his back and closed the door, getting into his fastest car. It wasn't Rhodey, but he knew that his best friend will have his back.

...

Rhodey woke up to a phone ring. He really wished that it wasn't about work, and was very glad when he found out that's Pepper. "What's up, Pep?" he asked, getting up.

"Hey Rhodey, Tony said that he had some surprise bussines with you. Is it true?" the hell it wasn't. "Yes, you know, the army tries to get him back at the weapons." actually, it was partly correct.

"Okay, thanks. Bye." She hung up the phone and Rhodey made himself breakfast, when the phone rang again. Unknown number. "All the ladies tryna get me." he hummed and answered it. "Hello?"

"Rhodes, cut the bullshit. We both know that Stark isn't with you. You should find out what he's up to, he'll be near your house in a minute. Follow from safe distant. Now, I don't know what he's trying, but I know that he plans something big. REALLY big. Like break-the-physics-rules-at-they-are-known-to-us big." They maybe don't teach very useful things in the academy, but his teacher tought Rhodey not to do anything fot anyone before he knows what the other side gets from it. And he can know it by knowing who was the other side. "And who are you, exactly?"

There was a silence for a few moments. "Black Widow." the other side said and hung up.

Rhodey got into the car.

...

Rhodey knew this place; it was the only place that Tony has never agreed to visit. Want to drive to Jerusalem? Awesome. Tokyo? Give me a date and I'll be there. Rome? Cool. But not to the Stark Mansion. And here he is. Tony never went to the mansion- at least, since Rhodey has known him. So curious, Rhodey followed him. And then- he saw it.

Black Widow have no idea about how right she was.

...

It was pretty cool, if you think about it: Now Tony can do anything he wants in the limits of time and space. Building his own time travel  
Machine was hard- like, really hard, but the satisfaction was worth it all. When he'll present it to the world, everyone will know the name 'Tony Stark'- this is the invention that will remove any shreds of his father's shadow away. And it all thanks to Loki and his Tessarect. The pure, infinite amount of energy was the key to it all.

"Anthony Edward Stark, what the fUCK IS GOING ON?!" he turned around to see Rhodey. "You know, just buliding a time machine." he said slowly, with a grin. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS IS THAT THING? IT WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING! YOU NEED TO DESTROY IT!" an angry Rhodey came dangerously close to his machine. "Oh, relax. It's completly safe." Rhodey looked at him with horror. "YOU CAN DESTROY THE FUTURE! THE PRESENT! EVERYTHING!"

For Rhodey's surprise, Tony smiled. "Good old Rhodey. I'm a part of the new generation, man. Look," he did a motion with his hands, like a ball. "This is our time. Now, this is a split second before." he gestured another ball. "And before." he repeated the motion. "And through and through. Now, if you go back in time, for exemple- stopping yourself from meeting me, it will change only the ball of this second, and nothing else. So it's not dangerous at all." Tony was a genious. Or crazy. Probably both.

he started turning on the machine. "TURN IT OFF!" Rhodey roared. "It's only a theory, for gods sake! You don't know what will happen!" Tony was quiet for a few seconds."Well, it's my theory. And I trust myself, so I won't turn it off." Tony answered quietly.

"I'LL BREAK IT, TONY, I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL BREAK IT." Tony's face turned from calmness into a mix of fear and anger. "Don't you dare!" he shouted back, raising his hand. Mark 42 came onto him. "Come, fight like a man! Don't you threat my machines!" Rhodey laughed in mockery and bitterness, raising his fist to hit the machine.

"YOU OWE ME! I SAVED YOUR LIFE!" Tony screamed, desperate. It was everything that he ever wanted, and his best friend wanted to prevent it from him. Well, not today. "You always have been jealous of me! Because I'm smarter, richer and hotter! So now you're trying to ruin everything for me!" Rhodey stared at him, his eyes widening. "Tony-" DON'T YOU 'TONY' ME! I-" he shot at him "-HATE" another shot "YOU!" this shot hit Rhodey in the chest, and he fell back into the machine, screaming. "Wait wait wait-" Tony panicked, started pushing the buttons the control panel, trying to turn it off. "NO!" he screamed and watched in horror at his best friend falls into the machine, which exploded in a reaction of the radioactive material in Rhodey's chest. Tony fell on his knees, crying. The thing that matters him the most is gone. "I'm sorry, Rhodey." he sobbed. "I'm so, so sorry."

...

Howard Stark smiled at Peggy. "You know what? I think I actually did-" BOOM. Howard crashed into the bush before him while Peggy pulled her gun and searched for the noise origin. She indentified a small green, glowing stick, shining from underneath a mountain of ashes. She grabbed it, and Howard hit her hand. "Don't touch i-" the thing exploded.

Howard and Peggy woke up in the hospital, without any mermory from the events of the last day.


	3. I Need (To Help) My Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,  
> sorry it took me so long... didn't have access to the computer for awhile. Anyway, this song will have only one song.  
> The Buzz (by Hermitude) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQSi33FJZM4
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> P.S credit goes to the artist

**3a**

Tony had never imagined the big effect of Rhodey's death on him. It all began 65 hours after his friend was gone. Pepper finally found him, still in the same place. "Rhodey is gone." He whispered, again and again. She slapped him in the face, twice, but he didn't react. Not when she tried to talk to him about Rhodey, or The Avengers, or kick him, or even mentioning Howard. Nothing at all.

  
The press celebrated on it, of course. Many conspiracies about what happened at Stark Mansion in that day appeared, beginning with a hot relationship between Rhodey and Tony and ending with Tony flying Rhodey to another planet, but in all of the theories no one could've explain where the hack was their beloved Iron Patriot (Tony still refused to call him something else then War Machine).

  
Tony was under investigation for a few days, but some money (under the hands of Virginia 'Pepper' Potts) changed hands and Tony ended up returning to his home. As soon as he came home, he declared 'curfew' mode, locked everything up and retreated in his lab. The only one that was allowed inside was Pepper, and this was only for a few minutes, to bring him some food and trying to make him speak, with no success.

…  
"Sir, may I suggest that you'll let an Avenger inside? Captain Rogers has been outside the house for six and a half hours, and have sworn that he won't go until you'll let him or any other Avenger in."

  
Tony groaned and hit the punching bag one more time. "How much time it has been since this Avengers' siege?" another hit. "eleven days, twenty one hours, thirty two minutes and ten seconds. Eleven. Twelv-" "thanks, JARVIS." Tony cut in. another hit.

  
Ten more minutes passed in silence. "I'm sorry to interrupt, sir, but Captain Rogers tells that there are strange energy levels in SHIELD's basements." Tony knew that his AI didn't finish, and after a few seconds he continued. "I took the liberty to research a little bit, and it seems very similar to the energy levels of… your project."

  
Tony froze in his place, breathing heavily. It felt like everything has happened yesterday. Rhodey was gone. But maybe… he'll be back? "Tell him I'll be there in a hour." Tony jumped from his place, his heart jumping all over his chest. It's time to get a shower, and maybe even shave.  
A very lucky paparazzi photographer caught the first picture of Tony Stark in three months and made a fortune.

**3b**

Tony showed up at SHIELD's gates. "ANTHONY!" he heard a roar and a very happy Thor hugged him. Clint thought that it would be very embarrassing if Iron Man will die in a hug, so he pulled Tony, who froze in surprise from all of the unexpected hugs after months without touch (unless Pepper, of course). "Yeah, yeah, shady's back, tell a friend. Can we move on to the important stuff?" Tony said sarcastically and Fury's appeared.

  
"This way, Avengers. And our special guest who surprised us in his presence, of course." Tony smiled his media-smile in return. "oh, Fury! My favorite man!" He said mockingly. Natasha pinched his arm in warning. "Watch it, Stark. Just because you're back doesn't mean you can talk like it to me." Fury's answered, and Tony has opened his mouth to reply, but Rogers was ahead. "You know what, Fury? You don't have the right to talk to him like that. Maybe Stark isn't our favorite person, but my memory doesn't think you've ever flown a nuke into a warm hole, so shut up."

  
Everyone was surprised at the saying, and Clint rubbed Cap's shoulders. They walked quietly for a few minutes. "It's good to have you back, man." Bruce's warm voice filled the air and his hand went over Tony's shoulder. His tension broke a little bit and he leaned on the comfortable, warm hands.

**3c**

Everything was darker as they walked down in the stairs. Nobody talked, and the coldness reminded Tony of that one time with Rhodey in his lab when the hit broke down, so they just snuggled in a mountain of blankets. But this wasn't his lab, and they don't have blankets, and it's not them anymo- no. He urged this thought into a dark corner in his mind and focused on the alarm that went on.

  
"Director, the levels are way too high." Agent Hill told him as all of them run down the stairs. "We have to see it!" he called back. "Stark." Said Steve, who was near him, which was ode- his super-human run was still there the last time he checked. "You're an expert, right?" Tony nodded. "Good. Hold tight." He caught Tony and jumped above the railing, into the gap between the spiral stairs. So they fell down.

…  
Tony wouldn't bet his life on Capsicle's super-solider-jumping, but he didn't really have a choice over here, so he's just looked down, waiting for the hit in the floor. Three, two, one… boom? Tony must've admit that Howard did kind of good job with Capsicle's super-air-bag ability.  
Rogers straightened up. "Well, Stark… what can you say?" Tony smirked and looked around. "I can judge from the dust that a cleaner wouldn't be bad." Even though everything was dark, he could see Rogers' glare. "Alright, alright." He felt himself start sweating. "It's hot. Not normal for this levels of height. Something is heating up our air. Be careful not to melt, Capsicle." Rogers didn't answered, so Tony kept looking at a circle in the floor, which was slightly more lighten then the floor near it.

  
He leaned close, and then… Everything became normal. Tony looked at his phone- no special radiation, no special heat. Nothing. But then his com beeped. "SIR." He never heard JARVIS so nervous. "THERE HAS BEEN A SECURITY BREACH. THEY JUST APPEARD FROM NOWHERE." Tony blinked in confusion. "JARVIS, calm down. I'm coming." No answer for a second. "Sir, I think they are disabling-" silence from the other side. "JARVIS?" no answer. "Cap, we need to go. Now." He said in panic. "JARVIS had a security breach." Rogers lift him and start running up. Tony was too deep in the panic attack to refuse.

_JARVIS-_   
_Rhodey-_   
_Everything is falling apart_   
_You need to breath Tony help breath help breath help BREATH Captain help PEPPER security breach energy Fury team Avengers who am I avenging is it Rhodey avenge Rhodey AVENGE AVENGE AVENGE (help me)_

Steven Rogers has never told anyone about this part of the day.


	4. Security Breaches (and Stark is in Need of Some Stitches)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! (Please read the note until the end, it's important!!)
> 
> This chapter's song will be Basket Case (By Green Day)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUTGr5t3MoY
> 
> Please let me know in the comments if you want Bucky in the sequel, and what you prefer- Stony or Steve x Peggy (I don't know their ship name).
> 
> If you want something else in the sequel, just write it!!
> 
> Enjoy!

Tony woke up in the back sit of his car (well, one of them), just to see Steve Rogers in the front sit, driving and humming a song which Tony couldn't identify. 32 seconds into the song and he couldn't bear it. 

" **Ehm.** "

"Oh, you're awake."

silence.

"Where are we?"

"On the way to your home. Remember what happened?"

 _Oh, right._ "Yes."

"Good."

"Not at all."

"I guess you're right."

Silence again.

"I-" "Should-" both of them started talking together, and Rogers became silence, so Tony talked. "Just never speak about it again." He said, sharply. Suddenly, Tony felt very tired, although it probably was one of his longer naps in the past week. He looked out of the window, couldn't keep meeting the blue eyes that jumped at him every 20 seconds in the mirror.

"We're here." Rogers anounced, and Tony rolled his eyes. "Thank you, Captain Obvious." He smirked, and two cars, in the difference of 0.93 seconds, missed him in only a meter. Clint and Romanoff came out of the cars, almost in the same time. "I won!" cheered Clint and opened the door for a very-dangerously-green-looking Bruce Banner. All of them started walking towards the big mansion.

Romanoff didn't look very happy. Not that usually she did. But she looked even less happy now. "Well, that's because you slashed my whee-"

"excuses, excuses, but a winner never loses." Clint interupted her and Tony laughed.

"Where did that come from, Bird-Brain?"

"Well actually, it came from m-" Rogers clapped two times and everyone looked at him. 

"Focus, team. Stark, open the door." he ordered and Tony smirked. "Easy there, bossy grandpa. I'm working on it from the minute I woke up, since JARVIS is not available." Romanoff, Rogers and Clint looked at him, a little bit shocked. "They've managed to get JARVIS?!"

Tony rolled his eyes and shared a look with Bruce. "JARVIS has emergency protocols. If someone gets past my defences and will manage to get JARVIS, it will be a disaster, so I've programed him to not show himself, unless it's SCUD emergency." Rogers looked at him, confused, like he had been frozen for 70 years and woke up in the 21th century. _Oh, wait... he did._ But it **wasn't** an excuse for Clint, Romanoff and Bruce.

"Super Combo Ultra Duper emergency." He explained, and took out his phone. "Great." he clicked a few buttons. "Override, the master of the universe as it's known to you." He tried to mumble the last part but Bird Brain probably heard it. "Jesus, To-" **"Rejected."**

Tony looked at his phone. 

And then at the buliding.

And then at his phone.

"Override, Stark Tony."

**"Rejected."**

"Override, Stark Anthony Edward."

 **"Rejected."**  

"Override, Iron Man."

The door opened.

 **"Welcome, Iron Man."** He looked behind, saw all of the Avengers' eyes on him. "That's almost my highest code." He said, surprised.

They walked in silence while Tony was thinking- Romanoff and Clint with Tony on the lead, Bruce in the middle and Cap in the back. "there are exactly nine people on the planet that can override the code before. Four of them are in front of me, one of them is on another planet, another one died yesterday, so that just leaves me Pepper, Fury- well, only when JARVIS, that rat, tells him I'm so sick that I can't even stand, so he comes to see how I'm. And the last one is me." 

All of them suddenly looked, uncomfortable, at the floor. "What?" Romanoff checked in the fourth time in the last two minutes that her gun was loaded. "Tony..." she said, slowly. "It means it was Pepper or Fury. And we know that Fury can come in only when you're sick."

"It  **wasn't** Pepper." he said sharply.

"So it was one of us." she answered at the same tune. Tony stopped them and touched a picture on the wall of Maria Stark, which showed the number eight for 0.23 seconds. "There are three living creatures in this mansion except us."  He mumbled. "We need to keep my suits safe." surprisingly, Rogers didn't fight him about that.

"I have a secret passage for the lab. This way. I think. I usually don't hang in the area of the main enterance." He smiled and happily punched Painting Howard's clutch.  Clint, Romanoff and Bruce smirked, while Rogers had his 'we'll-talk-about-it-later' look. It reminded him of the days as 7. Trying to punch his dad, thinking that Captain America is hating him, Jarvis taking care of him. Fun. 

"Please be a secret door. Please be a secret door."

The picture slided.

"Yay!"

Tony putted his finger on the metal door which was now in front of them. after a few seconds the door opened itself and they walked inside, their hold on the weapons tightened. 

When they've reached the edge, Romanoff stopped them. _'On my count.'_ She mouthed, and signed at the door. "Wait." Tony whispered.  _'It's-'_ He pointed at the door.  _'blocked.'_ He putted his hands in the middle of the air, like he was pushing something without success. Rogers touched his shoulder and signed at the door, and then at his shield.  _'oh.'_ he mouthed and all of them pushed themselves to the walls, letting the Super Solider pass.

 _'Three-'_ Romanoff mouthed.  _'two-'_ Cap lift his shield up.  _'one.'_ the shield of Captain America broke through the titanium wall like it was paper, and they jumped outside one after the another, ready for their enemies. But they weren't.

Three suits were floating in front of them.

"Stop right there." said the red one. 

"Oh, what a nice surprise. My suits made me a birthday party! How did you know that it was only  **three months and five days ago**." Tony smiled and rumbled, like he wasn't in a life danger, and his suits weren't stolen. "But still, it's nice. And you knew that Captain will come! My white, Red and Blue suits. By the way, the blue one, you're screwed. This suit doesn't have a cup holder, nor a Cap holder. Seriously. It's so old that I've tried once to hold Cap while flying and... Well, a week in a hospital sums it up pretty good."

A laugh came from the blue suit. "Nice one, kiddo. But it's okay, I'll handle it. Those suits are ingenious anyway." In the meantime, Romanoff leaned to Clint. "Is it just me, or this guy is rumbling exactly like Stark?"

The Blue suit trembled in the air. "Wait a minute, Stark? Is that-" the red suit kicked him. "Yes. Stark." It said, sharply. "Gentlemen, may-" the white suit started to suggest, but those two words were enough for Tony's ears.

The others may think that they've heard this voice once, but not Tony. He knew that he had. A voice like this isn't something that you forget. You just can not forget. When he thinks about it, he has heard all of those voice, although he wasn't willing to admit it. There were these two familiar, warm (with British accent) voices, and an american one that he didn't want to hear ever again.

Now wasn't the time to cry about the fact that Rhodey wasn't one of his three guests.

"Welcome to my home, Edwin Jarvis, Peggy Carter." Tony said quietly.  

He took Captain America's shield, looked straight to the eyes of Peggy Carter and Edwin Jarvis, and then punched his dad the second time in this day in the clutch.

Really hard. Like, SCUD hard.

_(No one could ever know that my highest code and the title that I've adored the most was Rhodey's friend)_


	5. Shields Are Good For Nothing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!!
> 
> Today's song will be Sucker For Pain (by Lil Wayne, Imagine Dragons and Wiz Kahilia): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2HmqXNPlz0
> 
> Enjoy!!

Right after Tony hit his dad, few things happened simultaneously. The first of them, of course, was that Howard Stark winced in pain, opened his suit and fell on the floor. Clint and Romanoff jumped forward, catching the shield together as they were one person. The shield fell to the floor from Tony's hand, who had a mix of feelings on his face- anger, hatred, shock and fear. Tears went down on his face while Cap held him back. Jarvis' white suit went down, and the man came out of it, running to Howard and checked him. 

 **"Anthony Edward Stark and Howard Anthony Walter Stark, stop it right now."** A sharp british voice drew the attention of all of the people in the room to the speaker. a laugh came from Tony, a complete contarast to the tears which were now rolling on his face.

"Stop it right now, eh, Aunt Peggy?" he said, bitterly. "Too bad you didn't tell it to him before." He pointed on Howard. "You know what, Aunty? I was ten years old when I got kidnaped, but I escaped. And you know? I thought it was the best goddamn thing I've ever done. _'now,_ ' I thought, _'I'll make dad proud. I saved him the ransom!'_  So I came home, blood all over me, and knocked the door. You know what he said, Peggy? Nothing. He just stood there and stared at me."

His face were now a mix of shame, laugh, sadness and disapointment. "Tell me, Cap, is that normal? No. And you know what he finally said, Steve?" His voice cracked.

"He said _'Alright, kiddo. So what? I payed so many times before.'_  And after it, my beloved Captain, after this, when I was ashamed of myself, he leaned over to me, and I thought that maybe he'll hug me, or at least **say something nice**! But all he said was _'You're wasting my time and money, Tony. Stop it. I wish Steve was here, to tell you how much trouble you make me.'_ Is that normal, Steve? Is it?" His voice cracked again and he looked at the floor, knows that all of the eyes in the room were looking at him.

"I'm so, so sorry." A deep british voice broke the silence, similiar to the AI's. Tony raised his eyes to the man who was his mentor and father for so many years. No, to the one who  **is** his father and mentor.

"I- I don't really know what is happening. I don't understand who I am, or you, or everyone. You know? I'm getting all of my memories. In a hour, I got memories of twelve years. And I don't..." His voice trailed off.

"From what I can see, remember, understand... Some people weren't made to be fathers. And I'm sorry to say, Howard, but you were one of them." the words sinked into the minds of the seven other people in the room. Edwin Jarvis closed his eyes in pain. "I'm sorry, Tony, that I didn't do more." He whispered.

Tony raised his eyes, meeting Jarvis' broken character, leaning on the floor. He walked at him and putted a hand on his shoulder.

"That's okay, buddy." He said, trying to lighten up his voice a little bit. "You did more then enough." one tear wandered from Jarvis' eye to Tony's hand, and they hugged. "Lets get you out of here." Whispered the taller man. Both of them stood and together, Jarvis' hand wraping Tony's shoulder, and without another word, they left the room.

Thick tension filled the air, which was broken by the sound of a repulsor's shot. Howard fell to the floor, again. "I knew you wouldn't win the best father's prize, but I thought that you were at least a decent one. I was wrong." Peggy said harshly, and with those words left the room. Natasha and Clint left right after her, not before Natasha made sure that Howard knows that she's not going to like him.

Bruce, Steve and Howard were the only people in the room.

"Howard." Steve said, softly. Howard looked at him, and Steve couldn't miss the hard thing in his eyes. "I missed you, pal." Both of them hugged. "I was a shitty father." He mumbled into Steve's waist.

"No, you weren't." Steve answered, quietly. Howard looked at him, surprised. "Look, Bruce had a shitty father, okay? He beat him. You didn't beat Tony, do you?" Steve felt Howard's hands tightening on his shirt. "I don't think so." He whispered.

"You know, Howard? Tony and I are pretty close friends." Steve said. Howard closed his eyes, burring his face in Steve's shirt. "And I've never heard him complaining. It's probably ain't that bad."

His words met a dry, bitter laugh from Bruce. "You really don't know him, do you?" Steve's eyes met the brown eyes, which were filled with... disappointment? "With Tony, what matters is what left unsaid." With those words he left the room, leaving the old friends alone.

"I have done enough damage." Howard told him, quietly. "I- I need to sleep. And a drink."

Steve looked at the man before him. Suddenly, he didn't see the great genius who flied him into the middle of a war zone. All he saw was a young, small, tired man, haunted by his past and future crimes. A one which very reminded him another Stark he knew.

"You can have my room." Steve said. "Come on, let's go to bed."

Howard didn't argue, and walked right after Steve to his room, like a lost puppy. Steve waited patiencly until Howard got undressed. Both of the men entered the bed, and Steve made sure that the blankets covered Howard.

"Hey Steve, man?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. And no homo."

Steve smiled in the darkness and waited until his partner's breathes calmed down. He stood up quietly, walked to Natasha's room, and knocked on the door, which was opened by her a few seconds later.

"Hey, Natasha? Can- can I come in?" She nodded and let him walk inside. 

"Listen, it seems like everyone knows what's happening except me. So I thought that maybe- maybe you'll be able to tell me?" She rolled her eyes. "Jesus, Steve, I thought that at least you'll read the files." He looked down, blushing. "I don't really know the details, but I'll tell you the offical version with a few things that I've managed to conclude myself. The year was 1976..."

* * *

Howard was very surprised when he looked at the clock on Steve's room. Huh. Who knew he'll wake up after 40 minutes. He gave himself 20.

He pushed himself up, and got dressed in his old clothes. He loved Steve, he really did, but there were some things that he couldn't understand. That no one could. Except the drinks.

Being a genius, so they say, means being lonely. But the truth is much worse- it means knowing that you'll never meet a challenge. The memories of his future self kept showing at his brain. Anthony was 10 now, and he missed his birthday party. Again. 

The smell of good, old Jack Daniels brushed his senses. He wanted it. No, he  **needed** it. He has followed the smell until he met a white, big door, which was half closed. The bottle was in his sight- only twelve meters away. He started opening the door and heard a noise of punching from the inside. He stopped.

_...Maybe he should go._

_But alcohol!_

_Oh, right._  

He tried to walk quietly inside, and surprisingly managed. He took the half empty bottle to his hand. Better then nothing. Inside there was a small man, which he recognised at his son.

Anthony kept punching, and Howard started walking away.

"Don't think that I didn't hear you. You're not Natasha or Clint- if you were, I wouldn't've heard you. Steve's steps are much heavier. Bruce would've start talking in the second that he came inside. If you were Jarvis or Peggy, you'll put a hand on my shoulder until now. So you're Howard. Fuck the hell out."

_Okay, so Anthony is angry. you can understand._

Now Anthony turned around and looked at him. His sweat shone on his skin, and he threw both of the punching gloves from his hands. "Y'know?" he asked, starting to walk towards Howard. he suddenly slipped, and Howard wasn't sure what to do, because if he'll die then Howard will be blamed at killing him.

But he didn't die.

_Good._

"It should've been Rhodey." He said, and Howard noticed that the alcohol is speaking. "I'm sorry, what?" Tony laughed. "F'course you wouldn't know. When'n the last time you cared 'bout someone else then you'self?" Howard felt his face blush.

"Sure closer then the last time you cared. You worry to nothing but yourself." He said, sharply. "I wanted to have peace with you, but you know what? **I don't care**. I got almost all of the memories of my future self. And kiddo, you were far from being a good son. You were just idiotic waste of time. I'm starting to think that you're a soviet spy that came into the world just to interrupt me."

Anthony's ears went red. "You don't know me! I'm-" "-Iron Man, huh? I've seen the footage, kiddo. You only fight for yourself. You're not a solider, like me. You wouldn't've been able to found SHIELD-" 

Anthony froze for a few seconds, but then laughed. "You're goddamn right, I wouldn't've been the founder of a **Hydra Organization Ltd.** " Howard looked at him, confused. "Oh, your little life project? Hydra has been over there. Don't worry, took care of it. I wouldn't guess, but it seems like your **good for nothing son is good for something**. You were hiding behind Steve but I had the balls to be a hero of my own, not creating a shield and say that you're a hero." Anthony walked out of the room, angry, leaving a shocked Howard behind. 

After a few minutes, Howard took the punching gloves and started punching to the bags.

In the morning, Steve found him there, sweaty, punching bags and mumbling something about shields that are good for nothing.

  ****

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the Tony feels...  
> Please tell me at the comments about what you'd like to see next!!


	6. The Winter Is Coming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!!
> 
> New chapter is here (again. I really like writing this fanfic).
> 
> The song for this chapter is "Thanks For the Memories" by Fall Out Boy.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jx7SF65wbs
> 
> Enjoy!!

Tony slept like a baby.

If by 'sleeping like a baby' you mean waking up every ten minutes, screaming and crying.

This night is going to be a nightmare.

_Tony was in the middle of the desert in Afghanistan. Thirsty. So... Thirsty. And hungry. Wait. Is that... water? He ran towards the water, when suddenly three people appeard in front of him._

_"Where do you think you're going?" Asked the middle woman. "To the water, Peggy. I'm thirsty." He said, surprised, and the three of them just laughed. "What, do you think that we're just going to let you pass?" Asked Steve. "This is sir's pool, you fool." Said Jarvis dryly, and Tony could see now his father swimming in the water._

_"Can't I just drink? Please, I- I have to. I'll die." The three of them just laughed. "So what?" Asked Howard, from the pool. "You didn't made a super hot super solider." He pointed at Steve. "Or found SHIELD." He pointed at Peggy. "Or even had someone around. They all go." He hugged Jarvis from the behind._

_"You can't even pay them around. They'll all leave, Tony. Now that I'm here. I'll give them technology and money. And maybe catch a redhead by the way." He winked at Pepper, who suddenly appeard, and both of them began to kiss._

_"No, don't!"_

_"Bzzzzzzt. Wrong answer."_

_"Pepper!"_

_"Bzzzzzt."_

_"Please-"_

_"Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt!"_

* * *

Tony woke up, sweaty, at his bed. It has been a few minutes until he could've talk and breath normal. "What the fuck, JARVIS?" 

"Don't you remember, sir?" JARVIS said, and Tony would've sworn that he has heard the worriness at his voice. "Since that one time that I didn't  woke you up while talking- and I don't think that the fact that Dummy has fallen is a reason to wake you up, you made me waking you up like an alarm clock when something is happening."

"Well, nobody asked for your opinion, buddy. What happenned now?"

"Romanoff and Banner have something to say ."

"Good. Tell her I'll meet them and the other Avengers at the-"

"Too late, Stark." The russian voice met his ears as she came inside. "HEY! You can't just ENTER! What if I had been sleeping naked?" The spy rolled her eyes. "Then she would've take a picture, sell it to the New York Times and had been a billionaire." answered Clint.

"Lier. You'll keep it for your eyes only, under your pillow." Romanoff smirked. "Yeah, right. Be serious for a minute."

Tony smirked. "Sure, sugar." Bruce cleared his throat, and Tony's eyes jumped at him. "Brucie Bear? Are you alright, honey?" Bruce blushed. "Look, Tony..." He stared at the floor. "I'm sorry to leave you all sudden-" "Wait, you are leaving? Why?" Tony interupted.

"Look, Tony... You remember Ross?" Tony raised his eyebrow. "Ross, the colonel?" Bruce nodded. "Well, Ross told me that if I'll even scratch one innocent man, he'll come after me. And the last days have been very... intensive. I almost turned to the Hulk twice. So I figured out it will be better if I'll go away for a while." Tony looked shocked for a second, and then suddenly smiled. "Sure, sugar, I know that my father is a jerkass. Bye, pal." The men hugged for a second, Tony watching him until Bruce's back disappeard behind the door.

"Natasha, did you want something?" He said lightly, not letting his awful feelings appear on his face.

She nodded, opened her Starkpad and showed him a picture of a tall, blonde man. "This is Doctor Hymish. He is a known scientist, but I guess that you already know." Tony nodded. "He'll help you in your new project." "Which is..."

Now it was Clint's turn to smirk. "The name is Redead, and I'm very proud of it. Like rebirth, huh? Get it?" Tony laughed. "And what is it about?" "It's about how should we get your father back to his own time." Bruce said, and Tony grinned. "We don't need to." Bruce raised his eyebrow, questioning. 

"You see? The universe is like... a human. It always fixes itself." he drew six balls in a hologram, and write on each one of them.

"Now, if something changes in the ball on the right, then the reality will split into two different universes: one when something has changed, and the other when it didn't. That's how the time and universe guard themselves from paradoxes. That simple. And it only took me six months of studying to understand it."

All of them looked at him, shocked. "That is... simple." Clint finally said, and Tony laughed. "Yeah, bird brain. _Science, bitch._ " Steve raised his eyebrow. "I **didn't** undestood that refernce." He said, and Tony smiled. 

"Sir, I'm afraid that Jarvis is trying to cook something inside Betty with no success." Tony rolled his eyes.

"Who is Betty?" Asked Natasha. "Jesus, 'Tasha, you've been here for five months and you don't know Betty?" Clint rolled his eyes. "It's Tony's oven." Bruce explained. "Uh uh uh- my tenth child, Brucie-Bear." Tony said, with a cocky smile on his face. "I'll help him." He added, with a softer smile.

"Ohh, Tony has a soft spot for-" Natasha kicked Clint's leg and the poor guy fell on the floor. "Sorry." She said, not sorry at all. Tony smirked and went towards the kitchen.

"Hey, Tony?" He heard Steve's voice. "Yes, my lovely Capsicle?" he asked, and Steve caught up the gap between them. "I think you- well, you were- look, I don't really know what happened, but I think that-" "Steve, stop going on circles and just tell me." **"I think you were a little too harsh on Howard."**

Tony suddenly stopped. _"You're an idiot, or just acting?"_ He asked, and Steve could identify disappointment, sadness in his eyes, and maybe... _fear?_ "Tony, I-" "I need some air." He said, pushing Steve roughly and walking outside the door. 

Steve sighted, and kept walking, feeling pretty miserable. Tony usually just makes small things huge, or as his friend liked to say, 'Makes a mountain from a rat'. But this mood didn't continued for long, because he saw his favourite person in the world over the corner.

"Captain Rogers."

"Miss Carter, yes ma'm!" he saluted at her with a grin on his face.

"You owe me a dance, Cap."

"Indeed, miss."

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

Steve laughed. "Let me show you the future, Peggs." He opened his Starkpad and played '40s mix'. Peggy watched curiousley at the white screen. "Does everyone over here have this?" She asked, smiling. "I think that Howard took one that he found somewhere, he has been mumbling about this thing all morning." Steve froze for a minute at the mantioning of Howard. "Oh, yeah... Yeah." It seems like Howard is okay now, after his small breakdown before.

"Well, my lady... I must warn you, I'm a terrible dancer." He said and catched her hips. She smiled at him. "If I would've quit every time I heard a warning, I wouldn't be alive." He smiled at her warmly, and both of them stared into each others eyes. They kept dancing in silence, blue staring into brown.

"Just kiss me, idiot. I can see that you want to ask premission." His lips met hers. "You've been drinking wine." he had mentioned, and she nodded. "Anthony gave me some. He said that he rarely drinks and its just for me." Steve laughed, and it didn't take Peggy more then a second to understand. "That bastard." She mumbled. "You can see the Howard in him." he nodded. "I still can't believe that Howard was  **that** bad as a father." 

Peggy sighed, and looked straight into his eyes. "He was, Steve." she said, harsly. "Maybe, but-" "No buts. **He was**."

After few minutes of dancing, he kissed her again. "You and Natasha have talked already?" She nodded. "And what do you think about her?" "What do you think about her?" Both of them said together, and she smirked. "She's great." Both of them said. "Awesome, but scary." Peggy grinned.

"You think that after being my boyfriend you wouldn't be scared of super spies." 

"Who said that I'm not afraid of you?"

"No one." She suddenly kicked the back of his knee, what should've made him fall, but he reacted quickly and catched her shoulder. Both of them fell at the floor, Steve blocking her fall.

"Aumf." He made a noise to show his pain. "Not bad. You've been training." She said, smiling. "Well, if you want to save the world, you have to train sometimes. Except Bruce. Have you heard about the Hulk?"

She nodded. "JARVIS took care of giving us any important information, by my command. It seems like I've known young Anthony for a long time." He raised his eyebrow. "Really?" He asked, surprised. "That's weird. He'd never mentioned it." But when Steve thought about it, it made sense. Howard and Peggy have been friends for a long time- of course she has known Tony. He sighed.

"Spill it." She ordered. "It's just that... you know. It's hard to think that life didn't stop for you. I mean, look at you. I don't know anything about you, except that you've been one of the founders of SHIELD." She looked at his eyes. " Well, it can be fixed.

And so, she told him about the SSR, and Thompson, and Souse, and the founding of SHIELD, and young Tony who was a huge fan of him, and her espionage jobs (well, what wasn't priviliged). They came until Howard's death, when a very stressed Jarvis came at the door. "Captain Rogers, miss Carter, I'm sorry to interupt, but a ginger woman who claims to be named Pepper Potts says that young Anthony is no where to be seen. We tried to reach him through the telephone, but there was no answer. An emergency mode has been declared." 

Steve jumped on his feet, quickly. "JARVIS?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"Contact Thor. I don't care how, send a raven or something.  **And tell the others to suit up**."

* * *

Tony woke up, tied to a chair, in a small room ~~I don't like small spaces~~ , to see a tall ~~scary~~ man in front of him.

"Stark?" He asked, but somehow his lips weren't moving. The audio came from a small box at the man's hands. Tony didn't answer.

_slap._

"I'll ask again. Stark?" Tony noticed that the man had some kind of Russian accent.

_slap._

"For a genius, you're pretty dumb. Stark?"

"Yes?" He finally answered.

"Welcome to my home." Tony looked around the small room. "Of course, it doesn't look like a house. Well, welcome to Sokovia again. Should I present myself? No, you probably already know."

Tony hadabsoloutly no idea who was this man.

 _Slap._ "You don't remember? Mr. Stark, I'm Luke."

"Who?"

This time, there was no slap. Just a huge grin. "Luke. Like in Luke, I'm your father?" the man laughed. "Just kidding. I won't tell you my name, but my friend, who is in the front of you, is named the Winter Solider." He looked down on himself, and Tony noticed that he has a metal arm under his clothes. 

"So, like, you put magnets on this?" He grinned at his own joke. "What do you want, anyway?"

"I would like to break you. I want to crash your soul. I want you to beg me to stop. For all the people that died over here, because of you." the man answered in a sweet, sicking voice.

Tony snorted. "Don't make promises that you can't complete."

The man laughed.

"Pain can make people do great things, Mr. Stark. Terrible things, yes, but great."

He stopped talking for a few seconds. "Winter Solider? You may begin."

The man untie him, and Tony stood up quickly.

_Slap. Punch. Kick._

Tony was now laying on the floor, bleeding, and saw a bucket full of water near the Solider. He stood up, and tried to punch the man and make him fall on the bucket. Metal arm met his hand.

_Kick. Kick. Lifting. Drowning._

_Memories from Aphganistan started popping on his head. Four men holding him, while pushing his head into the water. The water was everywhere, streaming into his brain, taking his breath away._

No. He wouldn't fall victim to his memories. He's strong.

_Lifting. Throwing._

Tony hit the wall and slided to the floor. The world was begining to look blurry.

"You know? I'll quote a good friend of mine." He wasn't smiling anymore, but he still held the wall and managed to get up.

**_"I can do this all day."_ **

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Bucky Barnes is coming to the town~


End file.
